Electrical plug coupler



March 21, 1933. H. B. TAYLOR 1,902,791

I ELECTRICAL PLUG COUPLER Filed Ot. s, 1926 M 8 v fNVENTOR TTO'RNEY Patented Mal". 21, 1933 UNITED sT TEs -PATENT HERBERT B. TAYLOR, OF ROHESTER, vnw YORK, ASSIGNOR 'ro GEN'ERAL nAILwAY sIGnAL COM 1?A 'NY,'OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK i ELnc'rRIcAL r-LU COUPLER Application'filed October 15, 1926. Serial No. 141364.

This invention relates to electrical plug couplers and more particularly to a coupler for use on a locomotive equip'ped withautomatic train control. v i

On locomotives equipped with automatic train control usually part of the electrical equipment is located on the engine and part on the tender, and it is desired to have means whereby't'he electrical connections may' be' quickly and easily broken and re-established before and after repairs are made. For instance it is desirable to have'a plug connection for the circuits leading to the influence communicating receiver which receives ;control influences from the trackway,` and which is usually mounted on the tender, so that the electrical connection' may be broken easily when it is found necessary to dismount the receiver for repairs.

At times when the engine is disabled, 'it is common practice to change engines 'and use the same tender and by having a' plug connector between the engine and tender," the electrical circuits between' the two' can be readily disconnectechj a new engine' substituted and the circuits short time. A I r e a i In view'of the'above mentioned objectsand requirements it is' proposed to provide a quick detachable electrical plug coupler of durable Construction suitable for use on railroad trains. u

Other objects and characteristic features of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter as the description progresses. In de scribing the invention in' detail, 'reference willjbe' made to theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. 1- is a plan View of the quick detachable plug coupler with certain parts broken away for clearness;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on ,the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

F ig. 3 is an end View showing the construction and mounting means of the plug coupler shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view showingthe lower contact block and contact posts;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on the lne 5-5 of Fig. 4 showing the Construction re-established 'n a very of the lower contact post and part of the co- Operating upper contact post I The plug coupler as a whole is made up of two units designatedA and B on the drawing, which units are held together bya tie bolt G.

Unit A conprises a casinghavinga contact block mounted `therein, this c asing having vaL- rious threaded holes therein for 'coupling the conduits thereto, these conduits carrying the wires to be connected by the coupler to other ,r

Wires. This casing is also provided ?with means formounting the'complete' block coupler to the engine ortenderas the case may be. Unit'B comprises a casing'which also has a contact block mounted therein and is provided with threaded connections. i g I Referring more particularly to Figs ;`1,'o2 and 3 of the drawing the casing `1 comprises the main body or unit This ,casing has four projecting lugs 6 around the inside thereof, and to these'lugs is fastened a` c0ntact block 2. One ofthese lugs 6 has a dowel pin 4 fastened therein which is adapted to project through a hole in the contact block 2. This dowel pin-is used for locating the con tact block in theicasing with respect to the various binding posts., The contact b1ock`2 is then fastened securely to the other three.

lugs with screws 7 `Mountedon this' con- V tact block is a series of binding posts 3,veach being provided with lock nuts andclamping nuts and washers. The lower ends of the binding posts 3 haveienlargedheads 5, these bottom as shownon the drawing. A .cover y The casing 1 is proholes for Conduit 8 is placed over the top opening, this cover being fasten'ed securely with screws 9; Mounted transversely therein and threaded into this cover '8 is .a tie bolt C, this tie "bolt beingpeened overon the` outer surface to 5 keep the bolt from turning in the cover after it is once in place'. -Lugs 32having holes 33 ther-ein are provided on the Icasing 1, these lugs ,being used 'for mounting the complete` plug coupler outhe locomotive. As 'mentioned before, various threaded openings are provided for attaching the conduits.

Unit B of the plug coupler comprises a t cylindrical casing 11 which has inwardly projecting lugs 12 similar to those used in the upper casing 1. Mounted on theselugs 12 is a contact block 13 fastenedwith screws 14 and a dowel pin (not shown) as described before connection with thei upper casing 1. This casing 11 also hasa large circular opening in each the top and bottom wall thereof, and is provided with a cover i over the'lo-Wer opening this cover being fas tened in place with 'screws 21. 'Threaded openings 10 are provided for attaching the conduits thereto, On the contact block 13 is I mounted a series of contact fingers adapted upper binding posts to engage the wedge shaped'heads 5 or" the i 3 described hereinbeiore. These contact fingers (see Fig. 5) each comprise a binding post 15 having an enlarged be seen by referring to the drawing that when the upper unit A and the lower unit B are assembled the wedge shaped heads of the binding posts 3 will wedge in between the contact strips 16 of the binding posts 15 and will also press against the heads'of the sleeves 18, compressing the spring and thereby making a good Contacting connection. These contact posts 15 are also provided with clamping units, lock nuts and washers for fasteningthe wires thereto. It should be noted that the contact blocks 2-' and 13 are provided with countersunk squared openings adapted to receive the squared heads of the contact posts 3 and 15, this arrangement preventing the contact posts from turning once they are i in'paceand the clamping nuts securely tightene .i i e .Referring` now more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, when assembling, the lowerunit B is fastened tothe upper unit A' bythe tie bolt Gas mentio-ned hereinbefore, suitable openings 22 being provided in the contact I 'blocks 2 and 13 to permit the passage of this tie bolt. therethrough. An 'insulated sleeve 25 is preferably inserted in the unit A and around the tie bolt C, this being done to prevent the wires from rubbing against the tie bolt and possibly causing 'a short circuit.

Gaskets' 26 are provided between the casings and covers, and a gasket 27 is used around the opening in the cover'near the lower end original places.

of the tie bolt o so that all joints will b water tight. A nut 28 and Washer 29 are placed on the lower end of this tie bolt so that casings may be clamped tightly together.

Whenit becomes necessary to break the connections of this plug coupler, means is provided whereby this coupler may be reassembled and have all' connections in their This is done by having a projecting lug 30 on the casing of the lower unit B, this lug 30 sliding in anotch which is provided in the rib or skirt 31 extending around the lower part of the casing 1. a It 'can readily be 'seenjthat when it becomes necessary tobreak the electrical connections,

the nut 28 and Washer 29 only need be removed when the lowerunit B can then be pulled away from the upperunit A, without I disturb-ing the order of the wires or Conduit connections in either unit. 5 r

Although this plug couplerhas 'been' described in connection with the use'of automatic train control on locomotives it is de sired to be understood that it could be used to advantage in various other places where it is' desired to have a break ina circuit wherein the wires are subjected to 'strains and vibrations. Also, it should be understood that this form of plug coupler should not be limited to eight connections as shown and described but' could have either more or less connections as desired without departing from the design and'scope of the inven-` tion shown and illustrated.

What Iclaim is z- A quick-detachable connecter for electric circuits,comprising, a two part casing, means for insuring its'proper assembly, a female portion in the casing including, two opposed flat spring clips, spaced apart and having ina narrow slot therebetween, a fixed post spaced from, and in line with, said narrow Slot, a sleeve slidably carried on' said'post with' a fiat face, and a spring biasing said sleeve to press said face against the endsof said spring clips, and a male portion in the casing including a flat sided wedge tapering toward its free end and adapted to enter between, and spread, said clips. i

In testimony whereof I afii'x my signature.

HERBERT B TAYL OR. i

turned free ends facing each other'to form e 

